


Not Quite Meant To Be

by NoIsInnocent



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Jeronica, Soulmate AU, first words are written on you body
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-03-02 05:00:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13311063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoIsInnocent/pseuds/NoIsInnocent
Summary: Soulmate AU- The first words your soulmate will say to you are written in some part of your body.





	Not Quite Meant To Be

Veronica had always wondered what the words on her upper right collarbone had meant. _Jughead Jones III._ Was it a name? Was it a fictional character? She was sure it was the latter, after all what parent would call their child, Jughead Jones III. She wasn’t one to fuzz over the words on her collarbone, but because of those words it had put off so many guys she tried hooking up with. It was starting to be annoying. The fact that she was branded with a name irked her. Those weren’t the thoughts on her head on their drive to Riverdale with her mother. After her father’s imprisonment, they were forced to move to her mother’s hometown. Riverdale, the town with pep. Just the drive there, she knew her life was going to be different. Especially now when she was the new girl, she had no power whatsoever in this town. Although this might help in her path to becoming good, the thought of going to start her way climbing to a top worried her.

She had immediately become friends with Betty. Betty was the quintessential child any parent would’ve wanted, and she would also be the perfect influence for Veronica on her path to goodness. That’s why she was so adamant on making up with her, proving that she was the best friend she could possibly have. The bell at Pop’s sounded and their eyes darted on the two newcomers. Betty had given heart-eyes to Archie who was obviously her soulmate, Veronica found this out on her first day in Riverdale spotting the two of them on a date.

* * *

 

Jughead looked at the words, or rather the name inked on neck going to his left shoulder through the mirror. _Veronica Lodge._ It wasn’t usual that a name was the first words your soulmate could say to you. It irked him to know there wasn’t a single person in town who had that name. His heart faltered even more when he heard about a new girl coming in town, a girl with the name Veronica Lodge. Judging by what he’s heard, she was from New York whose father was in jail for embezzlement. From what he’s seen from news reports, he immediately didn’t like her. Thought of him being with a girl like her would be the worst. He thought of a brighter side in this. The name didn’t mean she would be his soulmate, it just meant that the first conversation he’d have with his soulmate would surround about Veronica Lodge. Great, they haven’t even met and here she was already possibly ruining her chances with a good soulmate.

It was Jughead’s first time at a Pep Rally, but he wanted to make up with Archie. He didn’t want to lose the few remaining people who he considered family, Archie was close to him enough to say he was his brother. Archie wanted to treat Jughead for coming out of his shell and wanting to become friends with him again, so they went to Pop’s. They took notice out a familiar famous ponytail and a new face, who Jughead assumed to be Veronica Lodge. Betty and Archie looked lovingly at each other, it made Jughead’s eyes roll. They were lucky, a perfect couple meeting ever since they were young and had been in love since then. They walked over to their booth and Veronica Lodge held out a hand as she introduced herself.

“Veronica Lodge.” Jughead didn’t respond and climbed over to sit beside her.

“Jughead Jones III,” he finally said. Jughead quickly realized what Veronica had said. Her words were exactly what was inked in his arm, he only hoped that what he said weren’t the first words of Veronica’s soulmate.

* * *

 

“Jughead Jones III?” Veronica wondered, the name was familiar like it had been in her mind for too long. And that’s when it struck her, those words or that name was the same name written over her collarbone. The name she’d heavily hid with a concealer if ever the need to expose her collarbone. She didn’t ask if he was her soulmate, it didn’t seem appropriate at the time. Instead she pushed it at the back of her mind and enjoyed the night with her friends. She kept looking at Jughead when he spoke, or her eyes would suddenly steal a glance at Jughead if they laughed. Veronica knew Betty wouldn’t notice this as she was caught in her own little world with Archie even though they were literally just in front of them.

As they left, Betty and Archie went on together as their houses were just next to each other. She bid them goodbye and walked on her own towards the Pembrooke. The silence of her room reminded her that she had possibly found her soulmate. She looked at her reflection, more importantly at the words imprinted above her collarbone. _Jughead Jones III._ She was stupid enough to not ask for his number. It kept her up all night, wondering if whether he was her soulmate. She was usually confident but now that the possibility of having your soulmate, meeting them. It had scared Veronica. Sure, they had a fun time at Pop’s earlier, but she worried whether their temperaments would complement each other. From what she noticed earlier, he was kept off, distant, as if he didn’t want anyone to peer in. It made her curious.

* * *

 

Jughead had been slightly relieved, there was a possibility that Veronica Lodge wasn’t his soulmate. She didn’t mention anything that night, so it was probably safe to assume they weren’t soulmates. It also meant that whoever his soulmate would be, they’d most probably be talking about Veronica. Though she didn’t seem as bad as he thought she was when they were at Pop’s earlier, even stealing a few looks at her in case she wants to say something or mention something about the topic. That was just the surface. That was just what Jughead had seen so far of her. That was just what she wanted to show. Veronica was still a mystery to him, after all they barely even talked.

The Twilight Drive-In was closing. It broke Jughead’s heart into pieces. Not only did he have fond memories of that place, it was also where he lived. Shutting the drive-in meant Jughead would lose his home. Even after Jughead tried to persuade Mayor McCoy, she just ignored his plea. He was in a booth at Pop’s ranting to Betty, Kevin and Veronica about it closing.

“The Drive-In closing is just one more nail in the coffin that is Riverdale. No, forget Riverdale, in the coffin of the American dream. As the godfather of indie cinema, Quentin Tarantino,” Jughead said, clearly upset about it.

“Please, God, no more Quentin Tarantino references,” Kevin said.

“What? I’m pissed. And not just about losing my job. The Twilight Drive-In should mean something to us. People should be trying to save it,” Jughead said.

“In this age of Netflix and VOD, do people really want to watch a movie in a car? I mean, who even goes there?” Veronica asked. Jughead’s impression of Veronica dropped. She was clearly a rich girl who didn’t care about the American movie culture, nor his well-being.

“People who want to buy crack,” Kevin said.

“And cinephiles, and car enthusiasts. Right, Bets?” Betty nodded.

“Anyway, it’s closing because the town owns it, but didn’t invest in it. So, when an anonymous buyer made Mayor McCoy an offer, she couldn’t refuse,” Jughead said.

“Anonymous buyer? What do they have to hide? No one cares,” Veronica said.

“I do! Also, you guys should all come to closing night. I’m thinking American Graffiti Or is that too obvious?” Jughead said.

“I vote for anything starring Audrey Hepburn. Or Cate Blanchett,” Veronica said. Veronica’s choice in movies made Jughead’s eyes roll. Typical, he thought.

In the end, Jughead chose Betty’s suggestion. Rebel Without a Cause.

* * *

 

After Veronica found out that it was her father who bought the drive-in, it made her guilty about what she said to Jughead earlier. If only she had known. She would’ve, what fought against her father she adored. Maybe it wasn’t good that she found out. Finding out that it was her family that caused Jughead to lose his job guilt started creeping in. She wasn’t still sure if he was her soulmate, but if he were, she’d probably be devastated with the information she knew. Maybe it was good that she didn’t find out.

Veronica had bonded with Josie for some time now and she was partly a Pussycat, even joining in their performance after Archie decides to exchange her for Valerie. Her voice was surprisingly good, which shocked most. Veronica Lodge could sing, and she was great. Learning of her mother’s betrayal, despite trying to be good to her made Veronica act out. She had set herself to actively rebel against her mother. Going out to party, Veronica didn’t bother covering up Jughead’s name with concealer. She was too eager to leave that place and have fun. It was Kevin who first noticed Jughead’s name scribbled over Veronica’s collarbone.

“I thought it was what our soulmate’s first words, not our soulmate’s names.”

“Oh, believe me that’s not his name or rather I’m not sure. I mean we’ve talked but he hasn’t mentioned anything, and I don’t want to be blunt in talking to him about this. After all this soulmate thing is who’d be with in the end, I don’t want to pressure either of us.”

* * *

 

Out of all the people who could’ve found out about his living arrangements, it had to be Archie. Out of all the people who could’ve found out about the first words of his soulmate, it had to be Archie. Out of all the people who could’ve found out about Veronica’s name written from his neck to his left shoulder in script, it had to be Archie. Jughead showed Archie his temporary house for now, the janitor’s closet.

“So, your Veronica’s soulmate huh? But I’ve never seen you two together.”

“It’s because we aren’t Arch. Remember the mark means our soulmate’s first words not their names.”

“But isn’t that what she told you the first night you met though? I remember it was. Haven’t you guys talked about it?”

“We haven’t, and I'm pretty sure a girl like Veronica when she had the chance would claw out information of her potential soulmate. Since she hasn’t approached me of the subject yet, it’s safe to assume we aren’t soulmates.” The way Jughead said aren’t, it was like he was forcing himself to believe that, forcing himself to think that was the truth.

Jughead was now staying at Archie’s home only to watch Archie give heart eyes to Betty who was across the window. It made him wonder, what would it really be like to have a soulmate? What would it like to be attached to someone, who’d be with you forever? Forever seemed like a long time. It made him shudder. Maybe not knowing who his soulmate was is a good thing. His mind keeps drifting towards his soulmate when he should be thinking about his father. FP had promised to get his act together, and it delighted him. Nothing would be better in getting his sister and mother back home.

* * *

 

After making up with her mother, she was now forced to give out a statement on behalf of her father who she wasn’t sure to trust. The revelation of Ethel’s situation made her guilty for everything her father has done even though she had no clue of it. That’s what was eating her up inside, the ignorance, the neglect, the enjoying the New York lifestyle without knowing about who her father really was. Causing someone to end their own life because of her father was just too much. What kind of person was she trying to please all these years?

The new knowledge about her father had made Veronica dial down a bit. Her pearls were now gone, though she often touched her neck to feel it, it wasn’t there. It was weird, but she had to deal with it. Her clothing was another thing she dialed down, her shoes were still her beloved Louboutin heels, but her outfit was much more toned down. Opting for a pair of jeans and a stylish blouse. She didn’t think she’d every have the necessity of wearing jeans when she had the beautiful array of dresses to choose from. She was at Pop’s sipping a double chocolate milkshake, when Jughead came in hungry and wanting burgers. The sudden presence of Jughead Jones in front of her startled her a bit, but brushed it off.

* * *

 

Jughead was out of his character when he sat in front of Veronica Lodge in the same booth when there were lots of available booths to choose from. There was something about the way she moved, the way her clothing was different that had attracted him to sit there. But who was he kidding, in reality what attracted him there was the slight glimpse of her soulmate’s words just above her right shoulder, _Jones III_. It was obvious that it was his name after all it was just him and his father who were the Jones only town. He was even more certain that it was his name when she shifted just a bit and it showed his name fully, _Jughead Jones III_. It struck him back to the first day they’d met at this same booth, though the time was much later in the evening. Those were the first words he said to her, his name. A response to her introduction. He didn’t want to blurt it out suddenly that he was her soulmate, after all it was just him who has confirmed it. But what he wanted to do was talk to her, the awkward silence piling up was eating him on the inside.

“What troubles has come to Miss Lodge’s way today?”

“I don’t know. Maybe my father, what my father did. Maybe my mother, what my mother did. Maybe this whole moving this is finally back firing on me. I don’t know. I’m a messed-up girl.” The way she said this, it was as if she was lost in her own thoughts. Her words, her actions, seemed distant. Even where she was looking was distant.

“Care for a trip to the Bijou then? I can’t manipulate the movies as I did with the Drive In, but maybe a movie can clear your mind a bit.” This snapped Veronica’s attention to Jughead.

“Are you asking me out on a date Jughead Jones?”

“I’m offering a distraction.”

“Well, distraction accepted. Won’t your soulmate be jealous?”

“To be honest, I haven’t met them yet. Have you?”

“Would I be alone in a booth at Pop’s at 9 p.m. if I had a soulmate Juggy? Besides, I thought you didn’t like girls like me. All rich and knowing.”

“And where did you get the idea?”

“Guys like you Jughead settle for women like Betty. The perfect girl with a future ahead of her. Not like me, always looking at the present, living in the moment.” She hit the mark. Jughead liked girls like Betty and if she wasn’t Archie’s soulmate he could’ve pursued her even if they weren’t soulmates. “But yes Jughead, I think movies would be a good distraction right now.”

Veronica shocked Jughead that night. Despite suggesting movies with Audrey Hepburn or Cate Blanchett, Veronica liked other classics. What shocked him even more was her opinions and the comments on the movie, a true cinephile if he thought about it. Veronica had destroyed all Jughead’s prejudices of her.

“I never thought you’d like classic movies.”

“There are good ones there are bad ones, but honestly, I prefer reading. What one can imagine is endless. And there’s a certain beauty in imagining certain scenes, characters and setting.” Jughead had completely underestimated Veronica. They walked and talked and the next thing they knew they were in front of the Pembrooke.

“Thanks for walking me home Jug, and for the distraction. I promise I’ll give you something in return next time, a burger at Pop’s maybe?”

“I’d like that.” Jughead smiled. His smile was reserved for the special people he cared about, but after knowing Veronica was his soulmate maybe this could be a start to him opening up to her.


End file.
